Paint roller device



Oct. 19, 1965 E. R. MUNN PAINT ROLLER DEVICE 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Elvin R. Munn INVENTOR v Q I amWaway;fiMm

Filed Jan. 50, 1963 Oct. 19, 1965 E. R. MUNN PAINT ROLLER DEVICE 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 50, 1963 Elvin R. Mann INVENTOR.

Oct. 19, 1965 E. R. MUNN PAINT ROLLER DEVICE 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Elvin R. Munn Filed Jan. 50, 1965 IN VENTOR.

United States Patent 3,212,121 PAINT ROLLER DEVICE Elvin R. Munn, 6705 Hancock Ave., St. Louis, Mo. Filed Jan. 30, 1963, Ser. No. 254,890 6 Claims. (Cl. 15-'573) This invention relates to a liquid applicator of the roller type, and more particularly to a paint applicator having its own supply of paint for coating surfaces such as walls and ceilings.

One important object of the present invention is to provide a liquid applicator having its own supply of liquid and capable of being angularly positioned within a range of movement of at least 90 so as to safely permit coating of vertical and horizontal surfaces at different levels from the floor without danger of spilling or splashing.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a liquid applicator of the roller type wherein the rollers are in continuous biased contact with each other to transfer with uniform distribution, liquid from the applicators own supply.

An additional object in accordance with the foregoing objects, is to provide an applicator of the roller type having handling facilities whereby the paint-applying roller may be selectively displaced out of contact with the paint-transferring roller for the purpose of smoothing out thick applications of paint. A releasable latch mechanism is therefore provided so as to conveniently hold the paint-applying roller out of contact for prolonged liquid smoothing operations. The releasable latch mechanism may also be conditioned so that an elongated flexible actuator may be utilized to selectively displace the paint-applying roller out of contact from a remote location along an extension rod provided in connection with the applicator for reaching remotely located surfaces to be coated as for example ceilings.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which: FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the applicator resting in a vertical position.

FIGURE 2 is a rear plan view of the applicator with parts broken away and shown in section.

FIGURE 3 is a sectional view taken substantially through a plane indicated by the section line 33 in FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 4 is a sectional view taken through a plane indicated by the section line 4-4 in FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged partial sectional view taken substantially through a plane indicated by the section line 55 in FIGURE 3.

FIGURE 6 is an enlarged top plan view of a portion of the applicator with parts broken away and shown in section.

FIGURE 7 is a partial sectional view taken through a plane indicated by the section line 77 in FIGURE 3.

FIGURE 8 is an enlarged partial sectional view as viewed from a plane indicated by section line 8-8 in FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 9 is a partial sectional view of the latch mechanism shown in a condition different from that shown in FIGURE 8.

FIGURE 10 is an enlarged partial perspective view of the latch mechanism.

FIGURE .11 is a partial perspective view of the latchmounting member associated with the handle assembly of the applicator.

3,212,121 Patented Oct. 19, 1965 ice FIGURE 12 is a side elevational view of the applicator used with an extension rod for applying a coating to ceiling surfaces.

FIGURE 13 is a sectional view taken substantially through a plane indicated by the section line 13-13 in FIGURE 12.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, it will be observed from FIGURES 1 and 2, that the applicator generally referred to by reference numeral 10 may be handled or manipulated either through a handle assembly 12 attached to the container structure generally referred to by reference numeral 14 or by an extension rod 16 also disconnectibly attached to the container 14. Accordingly, the applicator may be utilized for coating horizontal surfaces such as a ceiling surface 18, illustrated in FIGURE 12 through use of the extension rod 16 or vertical wall surfaces 20 as shown in FIGURE 3 by use of the handle assembly 12. The extension rod 16 may also be utilized for vertical wall surfaces that may be disposed a substantial distance above the floor as shown in FIGURE 4. It will therefore become apparent that an important attribute of the applicator is its ability to be angularly positioned for use in connection with vertical and horizontal surfaces without danger of spilling or splashing of liquid or paint contained within the container 14.

Referring therefore to FIGURES 1, 2, 3 and 4 in particular it will be observed that the container 14 includes a pair of parallel side wall members 22 and 24 which are interconnected by a front wall 26 and a. rear wall 28. Also interconnecting the side walls and the front and rear walls, is a downwardly curved bottom. wall portion 30 arranged to form with the other walls, a liquid reservoir 32 extending substantially below the rear wall. The geometric center of the liquid in the reservoir is more closely spaced from the front wall 26 than the rear wall 28. Connected to the front Wall 26 at the upper end thereof, is a downwardly inclined and rearwardly extending retaining portion- 36 by means of which the liquid 32 having a level 38 disposed below the retaining portion 36, may be prevented from spilling or splashing when the container is displaced from its vertical position illustrated in FIGURES 3 and 4 ineither direction by at least either by means of the handle assembly 12 or the extension -rod 16 with a minimum change in the extent to which the roller is immersed in the liquid. Accordingly, the handle assembly 12 is connected to the rear wall 28 and to the bottom wall portion 30 between the side walls 22 and 24 projecting vertically below the bottom wall portion. The side walls are also provided with upper mounting portions 34 projecting above the liquid-retaim ing portion 36 so as to removably mount a roller assembly 40. a

The roller assembly 40 is therefore mounted in operative position as a removable assembly. Each of the bracket members 42 therefore includes upper portions 44 between which liquid-applying roller 46 is rotatably mounted in exposed relation above the liquid-retaining portion 36. Disposed at an obtuse angle of approximately 105 to the upper bracket portions 44, are lower bracket portions 48 between which the liquid-feeding roller 50 is rotatably mounted within the liquid reservoir 32 extending below the rear wall. Formed at the vertex of the obtuse angle between the upper and lower portions of the bracket members 42, are journal formations 52 within which a roller shaft 54 of a transfer roller 56 is journalled. The transfer roller 56 is therefore rotatably mounted by the bracket members about a fixed axis. The feeding roller 50 on the other hand, is rot-atably mounted by its roller shaft 58 having a non-circular notched end portion 60 slidably received within an elongated slot 62 formed in the lower bracket portions 48 as more clearly seen in FIGURES 3 and 5. An anchoring tab 64 is formed at the upper end of the slot 62 for the purpose of anchoring one end of a rubber band 66, the other end of which is received about the notched end portion 60 of the roller shaft 58 for the purpose of biasing the feeding roller 50 into continuous contact with the transfer roller 56. The liquid-applying roller 46 is similarly biased into contact with the transfer roller 56 and is accordingly provided with a non-circular notched portion 70 on its roller shaft 72 slidably received within the elongated slot 68 formed in the upper bracket portion 44, as more clearly seen in FIGURES 3, 5, and 7. Accordingly, the lower end of the slot 68 is provided with an anchoring tab 74 adapted to be engaged by a second rubber band 76 also engaged with the non-circular notched portion 70of the roller shaft 72 for the purpose of continuously biasing the liquid-applying roller 46 into contact with the transfer roller 56. Thus, liquid will be fed by the roller 50 to the transfer roller 56 from which it will be uniformly distributed onto the liquid applying roller 46 through which the liquid is applied to the surface to be coated. Each of the bracket members is therefore provided at the upper end thereof with an outwardly projecting flange portion 78 by means of which the roller assembly is attached to the mounting portions 34 of the side walls by means of the fasteners 80. The lower end portions 46 of the bracket members and the feeding roller carried thereby are properly positioned within the liquid reservoir by means of the lower end flange portions 82 having notches therein resting on positioning studs 84 which are secured to the side wall members 22 and 24 and project inwardly therefrom just above the lower portion of the bottom wall portion 30. The lower bracket portions 48 of the bracket members may thereby be positioned at approximately 70 from the horizontal in order tohold the feeding roller 50 approximately aligned with the geometric center of the liquid reservoir. In this position, it will also be observed that the liquid-retaining portion 36 terminates in close spaced adjacency between the transfer roller 56 and the feeding roller 50 to thereby insure that liquid will not be spilled or splashed from the container despite the relatively large angular displacement of the container that is contemplated.

The feeding roller 50 is preferably made of externally resilient material adapted to hold relatively large quantities of liquid and is mounted about a hollow core 86 so that the roller may be fully loaded with liquid. The transfer roller 56 on the other hand, is provided with an external spiral ridge surface 88 adapted to yieldably engage the external surface of the feeding roller 50 in contact therewith under the continuous bias of the rubber band 66 in order to receive and transfer liquid therefrom. The transfer roller 56 is made of a smaller diameter and is also provided with tapered undercut axial end portions 90 as more clearly seen in FIGURES and 6 so as to avoid end accumulations. Paint will accordingly be uniformly distributed in an axial direction to the liquid-applying roller 46 from the transfer roller 56. The paintapplying roller 46 is therefore formed with an externally smooth but yieldable surface in continuous bias contact with the transfer roller by means of the rubber band 76. In this manner, paint or liquid for coating surfaces may be uniformly transferred to and applied by the roller assembly 40. Under certain circumstances however, it may be desirable to displace the paint-applying roller 46 out of contact With the transfer roller so as to stop the transfer of paint thereto whereby the roller 46 may be utilized to smooth out thick applications of paint.

The paint-applying roller 46 is therefore provided with guide rollers 92 at the axial ends of its roller shaft, adapted to be engaged by a pair of roller-displacing arms 94 as more clearly seen in FIGURES 3, 5, 6 and 7. The roller displacing arms 92 are interconnected by a shaft 96 journaled by a pair of journal elements 98 fixed to the rear wall 28 of the container by fasteners 100 received within projections 102 from the rear wall. Connected to the shaft 96 intermediate the opposite axial ends thereof, is an actuating member 104 by means of which the roller-displacing arms 96 may be selectively displaced in a counter-clockwise direction as viewed in FIGURES 3 and 4 in order to move the liquid-applying roller 46 out of contact with the transfer roller 56 against the bias of the rubber band 76. In order to hold the roller-displacing arms 92 and the liquid-applying roller 46 out of contact so that it may be used for liquid spreading purposes for a prolonged period, a releasable latch mechanism 106 is provided on the handle assembly 12 for engagement with the actuating lever member 104.

Referring now to FIGURES 2, 8, 9, 10 and 11, it will be observed that the latch mechanism 106 is mounted on top of the handle assembly 12 by means of a latch mounting member 108. As more clearly seen in FIG- URE 11, the mounting member 108 is provided with a threaded aperture 110 through which it may be secured to the top of the handle assembly. Also provided in the latch-mounting member 108 is a T-slot 112 aligned with an anchor projection 114 that extends from one side. Also aligned with the T-slot 112 and the anchor projection 114 in a lateral direction with respect to the applicator, is a threaded aperture 116 adapted to receive the guiding screw element 118 received within a guiding slot 120 of a displaceable anchoring element 122. As more clearly seen in FIGURES 8 and 10, the element 122 forms part of the latch mechanism 106 and includes a downwardly depending portion 124 received within the T-slot 112 adapted to bear against the folded body portion 126 of the latch member 128. The lower end of the latch member 128 is therefore provided with laterally extending notches 130 by means of which disassembly of the latch member from the narrow portion of the T-slot 112 is prevented. Accordingly, the latch member may be assembled within the wider portion of the T-slot 112 and held assembled within the narrower portion thereof by means of the displaceable anchor element 122. The upper portion 131 of the latch member 128 is therefore provided with an anchoring screw 132 about which one end of a rubber band 134 is anchored, the other end being anchored about the displaceable anchoring element 122 as illustrated in FIGURES 8 and 10. In this manner, the latch member may be held in the illustrated position with the latch projection 136 thereon engaging the top surface of the actuator lever member 104 so as to hold it depressed against the bias of the spring element 138 which reacts between the end of the actuator lever member 104 and the latch-mounting member 108 on top of the handle assembly 12. The spring 138 therefore urges the displacing arms 92 in a clockwise direc tion so that when the lever member 104 is released from the latch mechanism, the rubber band 76 will be effective to bias the liquid-applying roller 46 into contact with the transfer roller 56. On the other hand, when the latch mechanism 106 is in a latched position as illustrated in FIGURES 8 and 10, the actuating lever 104 will be held depressed against the bias of the spring 138 so as to hold the liquid-applying roller 46 out of contact with the transfer roller. The latch mechanism 106 therefore provides facilities whereby the liquid-applying roller may be held out of contact for prolonged periods. When it is desired however to displace the latch mechanism to a released position against the bias of the rubber band 134, in order to permit the transfer of paint from the transfer roller 56 to the liquid-applying roller 46, the latch member 128 may be pivotally displaced in a clockwise direction as viewed in FIGURE 8 by the operator engaging the projecting thumb portion 140 on the latch member. The portion 140 may be conveniently engaged by the thumb of the operator when holding the applicator by means of the handle assembly 12 grasped in the hand. Angular displacement of the latch member 128 is accommodated by slidable displacement of the anchoring element 122 within the T-slot 112 accommodated by relative movement between the screw 118 and the slot 120 in the anchoring element 122. In this manner, the latch projection 136 clears the actuating lever 104 so as to permit the spring 138 to displace it upwardly at its end. With the latch mechanism 106 in the condition illustrated in FIGURES 8 and 10, it will be necessary to hold the latch member in its angularly displaced position by means of the operators thumb. On the other hand, should it be necessary to hold the latch mechanism in its released condition, as shown in FIGURE 9, it will only be necessary to remove the rubber band 134 from the displaceable anchor element 122 and engage it about the anchor projection 114 fixed to the latch-mounting member 108. Thus, the actuator lever 104 will be free of the latch mechanism so that it may be actuated against the bias of the spring 138. This latter condition of the latch mechanism will be suited for control of the actuating lever by means of a flexible chain 142 as more clearly seen in FIGURES 4 and 12.

The latch-mounting member 108 secured to the upper end of the handle assembly 12 also has fixed thereto, an intermediate port-ion 144 attached to the rear wall 28 so as to secure the upper end of the handle assembly to the container. A guide 146 is mounted in the portion 144 through which the flexible operating chain 142 extends, the upper end of this chain being secured to the lever actuator 104. The other end of the operator chain 142 is secured to an actuator element 148 pivotally secured to an adjustable mounting member 148 secured at any adjusted position to the extension rod 16 by means of the setscrew member 150 as more clearly seen in FIGURES 12 and 13. The extension rod 16 may therefore be disconnectibly secured to the container 14 by means of an internally threaded connector 152 attached to the bottom portion 30 and to the lower end of the handle assembly by means of the attaching portion 154. Accordingly, the upper end portion 156 of the extension rod 16 is externally threaded for threaded reception within the connector member 152 as more clearly seen in FIGURE 4. In this manner, the actuator lever 104 may be operated from any desired remote location along the extension rod 16 for the purpose of selectively displacing the liquidapplying roller 46 out 'of operative relation to the liquid feeding facilities associated therewith and in otherwise continuous contact therewith.

From the foregoing description, the construction, operation and utility of the paint-applying device of the present invention, will be apparent. It will therefore be appreciated, that the paint-applying device embodies several advantageous attributes among which is the spillproof nature of the container safely permitting angular displacement thereof so that both vertical and horizontal surfaces may be coated. Also, even distribution of the liquid on the surfaces to be coated is assured because of the continuous contact between the rollers of the roller assembly with facilities being provided for selectively displacing the liquid-applying roller out of contact with the liquid-feeding facilities either under control of the operators thumb when manipulating the applicator by its handle assembly 12 or when manipulating the applicator from the extension rod 16. The latter is made possible by the latch mechanism 106 capable of being easily positioned in a latched position or in a released position by the mere relocation of a single rubber band. Also, the ability of the liquid-applying and liquid-feeding rollers to be removed from the container structure as an assembly, facilitates cleaning, repair and replacement of parts. In this latter regard, the advantages inherent in the angle bracket members will be apparent inasmuch as disassembly of the rollers may be simply elfected by re- 6 moval of the rubber bands 66 and 76 these rubber bands also being effective to maintain the continuous bias contact between the rollers as hereinbefore mentioned. Despite the removability of the roller assemblies as a unit, installation in the proper operative position of both the liquid-applying roller and the feeding roller, respectively, on opposite sides of the liquid-retaining portion 36, is made possible by the upwardly projecting mounting portions 34 of the side walls of the container and the disposition of the positioning rests 84 in the side walls cooperating to effect the proper angular positioning of the bracket members 42. The liquid applicator of the present invention is therefore endowed with versatility as to use, and operational ease in addition to the advantages of maintenance and manufacturing economy.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A liquid coating applicator comprising, liquid container means having a mounting portion extending upwardly therefrom, liquid retaining means connected to said container means above liquid therein to permit angular positioning of the container means without spilling and splashing of the liquid therefrom, liquid applying means operatively mounted by said mounting portion of the container means above the liquid retaining means, liquid feeding means operatively mounted within the container means for continuous transfer of liquid to the applying means in any position of the container means, container handle means operatively mounted on the container means for said positioning thereof to bring the applying means into contact with the surface to be coated with liquid, and selectively operable means mounted by said container means and engageable with the applying means for displacing the applying means out of operative relation to the feeding means to control said transfer of liquid thereto, said liquid applying means comprising, supporting bracket means removably connected to the mounting portion of the container means, positioning rest means mounted in the container mean-s for engagement with the bracket means for operative positioning thereof, a liquid applying roller rotatably mounted by the bracket means above the liquid retaining means, and biasing means mounted on the bracket means for engagement with said liquid applying roller to maintain said roller in contact with the liquid feeding means, said liquid feeding means comprising, a transfer roller rotatably mounted about :a fixed axis on said bracket means in close spaced adjacency to the liquid retaining means above the liquid in the container means, a feeding roller rotatably mounted on said bracket means below said liquid retaining means within the liquid, and means continuously biasing the feeding roller into contact with the transfer roller for constant transfer of liquid thereto unaifected by displacement of the container means.

2. The combination of claim 1, wherein said selectively operable means comprises, roller displacing means pivotally mounted by said mounting portion and engageable with said liquid applying roller for displacement thereof, actuating means connected to said roller displacing means and releasable latch means mounted on the handle means for engagement wtih said actuating means to releasably hold the applying means out of operative relation to the liquid feeding means.

3. In a liquid coating applicator having liquid container means, a roller assembly removably mounted by the container means comprising, supporting bracket means removably connected to the container means, positioning rest means mounted in the container means for engagement with the bracket means for operative positioning thereof, a liquid applying roller rotatably mounted by the bracket means above the liquid within the container means, a transfer roller rotatably mounted about a fixed axis on the bracket means above the liquid in the container means, a feeding roller rotatably mounted on said bracket means below said liquid retaining means within the liquid, and means continuously biasing the feeding roller and the applying roller into contact with the transfer roller, and selectively actuated means engageable with the liquid applying roller for displacement thereof against said biasing means.

4. A liquid coating applicator comprising, a container having spaced front and rear walls interconnected by a bottom wall, a positioning rest element mounted within said container adjacent the bottom wall, a feeding roller adapted to be positioned within the container extending below said rear wall, mounting bracket means engageable with said positioning rest element for rotatably mounting said feeding roller within the container in position to extend into liquid below the rear wall, a transfer roller rotatably mounted by the bracket means about a fixed axis above the liquid, a liquid applying roller rotatably mounted by said bracket means for extension forwardly of the front wall of the container, liquid retaining means connected to the front wall and extending rearwardly therefrom into close spaced adjacency to the transfer roller for separating the liquid applying roller from the liquid in the container in any operative position thereof, means mounted on the bracket means for biasing the feeding roller and the liquid applying roller into contact with the transfer roller, and means engageable with the liquid applying roller for displacement thereof against said biasing means to control the transfer of liquid thereto.

5. The combination of claim 4 wherein said bracket means includes a forwardly extending arm portion connected to the container above the liquid retaining means, and guide means on said arm portion movably mounting the liquid applying roller for displacement along a direction intersecting said fixed axis.

6. A liquid coating applicator comprising a container within which a body of liquid is disposed, a bracket assembly removably mounted by the container having spaced guide portions, a transfer roller rotatably mounted by the bracket assembly above the liquid about a fixed axis between said guide portions, a feeding roller rotatably mounted by one of said guide portions of the bracket assembly in contact with the liquid, liquid applying means rotatably mounted by the other guide portion for projection from the container and having axial ends extending from the bracket assembly, biasing means mounted by the bracket assembly in engagement with said feeding roller and said liquid applying means for continuously biasing the feeding roller upwardly and the liquid applying means downwardly toward pressure contact with said transfer roller, and selectively operated lever means pivotally mounted by the container in straddling relation to the bracket assembly for engagement only with said axial ends of the liquid applying means to effect displacement thereof against the bias of said biasing means without preventing removal of the bracket assembly from the container.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 388,031 8/88 Eiermann 101-330 460,173 9/91 Allen 101329 1,018,886 2/12 Dodge 101-331 2,389,409 11/45 Brzeski 155 73 2,678,002 5/54 Roell et a1 15-573 X FOREIGN PATENTS 812,655 9/51 Germany.

819,217 10/51 Germany.

851,620 10/52 Germany.

971,390 1/59 Germany.

802,509 10/ 5 8 Great Britain.

WALTER A. SCHEEL, Primary Examiner. 

1. A LIQUID COATING APPLICATOR COMPRISING, LIQUID CONTAINER MEANS HAVING A MOUNTING PORTION EXTENDING UPWARDLY THEREFROM, LIQUID RETAINING MEANS CONNECTED TO SAID CONTAINER MEANS ABOVE LIQUID THEREIN TO PERMIT ANGULAR POSITIONING OF THE CONTAINER MEANS WITHOUT SPILLING AND SPLASHING OF THE LIQUID THEREFROM, LIQUID APPLYING MEANS OPERATIVELY MOUNTED BY SAID MOUNTING PORTION OF THE CONTAINER MEANS ABOVE THE LIQUID RETAINING MEANS, LIQUID FEEDING MEANS OPERATIVELY MOUNTED WITHIN THE CONTAINER MEANS FOR CONTINUOUS TRANSFER OF LIQUID TO THE APPLYING MEANS IN ANY POSITION OF THE CONTAINER MEANS, CONTAINER HANDLE MEANS OPERATIVELY MOUNTED ON THE CONTAINER MEANS FOR SAID POSITIONING THEREOF TO BEING THE APPLYING MEANS INTO CONTACT WITH THE SURFACE TO BE COATED WITH LIQUID, AND SELECTIVELY OPERABLE MEANS MOUNTED BY SAID CONTAINER MEANS AND ENGAGEABLE WITH THE APPLYING MEANS FOR DISPLACING THE APPLYING MEANS OUT OF OPERATIVE RELATION TO THE FEEDING MEANS TO CONTROL SAID TRANSFER OF LIQUID THERETO, SAID LIQUID APPLYING MEANS COMPRISING, SUPPORTING BRACKET MEANS REMOVABLY CONNECTED TO THE MOUNTING PORTION OF THE CONTAINER MEANS, POSITIONING REST MEANS MOUNTED IN THE CONTAINER MEANS FOR ENGAGEMENT WITH THE BRACKET MEANS FOR OPERATIVE POSITIONING THEREOF, A LIQUID APPLYING ROLLER ROTATABLY MOUNTED BY THE BRACKET MEANS ABOVE THE LIQUID RETAINING MEANS, AND BIASING MEANS MOUNTED ON THE BRACKET MEANS FOR ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID LIQUID APPLYING ROLLER TO MAINTAIN SAID ROLLER IN CONTACT WITH THE LIQUID FEEDING MEANS, SAID LIQUID FEEDING MEANS COMPRISING, A TRANSFER ROLLER ROTATABLY MOUNTED ABOUT A FIXED AXIS ON SAID BRACKET MEANS IN CLOSE SPACED ADJACENCY TO THE LIQUID RETAINING MEANS ABOVE THE LIQUID IN THE CONTAINER MEANS, A FEEDING ROLLER ROTATABLY MOUNTED ON SAID BRACKET MEANS, BELOW SAID LIQUID RETAINING MEANS WITHIN THE LIQUID, AND MEANS CONTINUOUSLY BIASING THE FEEDING ROLLER INTO CONTACT WITH THE TRANSFER ROLLER FOR CONSTANT TRANSFER OF LIQUID THERETO UNAFFECTED BY DISPLACEMENT OF THE CONTAINER MEANS. 